Memory Escape
by LucidClockwork
Summary: *blink blink* She watched as her life flashed before her. She wasn't dying was she? The puddle of blood said otherwise. Only if she was stronger... maybe Sasuke wouldn't have left, maybe this wouldn't have happened. (TIME TRAVEL) -Sakura Centric- Eventually Sasusaku!
1. Prologue

**SUMMARY**

*****_**Blink blink* She watched as her life flashed before her. She wasn't dying was she? The puddle of blood said otherwise. Only if she was stronger… maybe Sasuke wouldn't have left, maybe this wouldn't have happened (TIME TRAVEL) –Sakura Centric- **_

**DISCLAIMER**

**LucidClockwork does not own Naruto or any of its characters; she only owns the plot of this story.**

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><p><strong>PROLOUGE<strong>

This was it. The final battle... One of her best friends would die. She couldn't stop herself, she released herself from Kakashi's grip and rushed towards the boys. The jounin's eyes widened a few seconds after he realised. This wasn't the first time... This time, he wouldn't be able to stop the two males, team 7 was doomed.

The pinkette rushed in between the boys and held her hands as if to stop them but she knew... it wouldn't stop. The pink-haired kunoichi screamed as the rasengan and chidori pieced her skin. Naruto immediately pulled back which gave enough time for Sasuke to attack Naruto through Sakura. The force of the attack and the fact that Naruto was still jumping towards them increased the power of the chidori. The blond had died instantly.

Sakura on the other hand, was dying a slow and painful death. Sasuke pulled back his hand in horror as the old Sasuke returned. The sharingan in his eyes had faded revealing eyes of worry, eyes of onyx, the eyes she fell in love with. The girl fell forward into Sasuke's arms as he lay her down. This was the Sasuke she wanted to bring back to Konoha but it was too late.

The girl opened her mouth to speak the words he had said to her that fateful day,

"T...Thank you S...Sasuke-kun," The kunoichi said in a strain.

Sasuke pulled hand over his head, stroking back his raven locks. He placed the other hand on her cheek, she saw a look in his eyes she had never seen before. Fear... The fear of losing her, his teammate. The fear of losing both of his friends, fear. She despised that word so much, fear and vengeance had driven the dark side of Sasuke to go down this road. The world was so cruel, why couldn't it bring her happiness for once?

The onyx eyed boy let a tear drop down to her face. Storm clouds gathered above as drops of water began falling from the sky, perfect weather for a perfect day. The female teen struggled to keep her eyes open, her vision blurred as she desperately clung onto life. Her vision had blurred up the moment she had dreamed of when she was a child. She felt his lips on hers, she was dying... As he let go she let out a bitter laugh.

"So f...funny how I...I've been d...dreaming about that m...moment my whole life, a...and I g...get it a...at the end," She said.

Sasuke looked at her sadly as tears were released from his eyes.

"Goodbye S...Sasuke-kun I...I love y...you," She whispered as her world darkened.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

She could hear the distant screams of despair in the distance. Sounds of droplets echoed everywhere throughout the darkness. Numbness overtook her body as she floated lightly. Suddenly, a bright light had appeared within the area, Sakura swam towards the light in vain. The pinkette found herself blinded by light, as if she had never seen it before.

_**This is interesting, a human with a heart more pure than gold...**_

Sakura whipped her head around as she heard echoes of footsteps behind her in the darkness. But this time... She was blinded by darkness, Shadows overtook her vision of the being's appearance.

That is impossible! Humans are selfish, don't you remember? They are the reason we are in this place!

_**But this human... she is much more different. With a human's help maybe we could escape? Human, state what has happened and why you are here.**_

Sakura couldn't say she was surprised. She was beyond that, a voice so bright so joyous, along with another dark and deep was talking to her in the afterlife.

"I... I sacrificed myself to save my friends from killing each other. One had been overtaken by evil and the other was trying to save him. I... placed myself in between their attacks to stop them. Their attacks blasted through me, the non-evil one pulled back while the evil one hit through me... But after the non-evil one died... he was released from evil, he was finally saved but I couldn't be... I had died too,"

_**You s...sacrificed yourself?**_

No human has ever done that! A heart so pure...

"I'll help you! Please if humans have been so bad to you... The least I could do is save you..."

_**...We have agreed that, you do not deserve to be here... We can finally perform a jutsu that will save us and you...**_

Sakura found herself starting to disappear she glanced up at the two and shouted on the top of her lungs.

"Wait! Who are you two?!" She screamed.

The dark one chuckled.

You'll find that out very soon...

The girl felt light seeping into her vision. The two beings disappeared into nothingness, her new journey had just begun...

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><p><strong>I read back over this and found myself hating it. Even though I wrote it a few days ago... I found myself to be a way better writer now than I was then so I re-wrote this chapter...<strong>

**Anyways Ja Ne!**

**-LucidClockwork**


	2. Enter Naruto Uzumaki

**Sakura:** Hey LucidClockwork!

**LucidClockwork: **Wait what?! You're not supposed to be out the story stay in!

_*Pushes Sakura into story*_

**Sasuke: Hn.. What are you doing?**

**LucidClockwork: Ah! *faints***

**Sasuke:…**

**Sakura: Sasuke! *starts chasing Sasuke***

**Naruto: LucidClockwork does not own Naruto or any of its characters, only the plot.**

**LucidClockwork: Damn Right I don't! *faints again***

**Sasuke: Get on with the story...**

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><p><em>Italics- Thoughts<em>

**Bold- Inner Sakura**

Normal- Speaking

* * *

><p>Her eyes fluttered open as she adjusted to the lighting.<p>

Sakura was in a bedroom with pale pink walls with slightly darker pink furniture. The pinkette groggily lifted her head towards the window to see curtains with Sakura petals flowing with the wind. On instinct, the girl got up and closed the window, only to realise how tall the bed looked. Sakura shook it off and stood on her  
>tippy-toes to close the window. As she lifted her hand, she realised the size and let out a small scream.<p>

She rushed over to a mirror and took in her appearance. She gaped at herself. She was 4-years old.

"Sakura! Are you alright?!" A female voice asked.

The pinkette turned around to see a tall blonde woman leaning onto the frame of the door. She had a concerned look on her familiar features.

"Oka-san?!" Sakura asked in surprise, as she mentally slapped herself with her high voice.

**Ow! No slapping! That hurts! Cha!**

_I...Inner?!_

**That's right forehead! I'm back in action!**

_Where were you for 3 years?_

**Hey! It's not my fault you locked me away with Crush!**

_Crush?! Who's that_

**Ah, just... Never mind!**

"Yes Sakura?"

Sakura found herself lost with her words, she hadn't spoken with her mother for a year. Mebuki (Sakura's kaa-san) had left to visit the wave country and was coming back a few months after her death along with her otou-san.

"W...What happened with the war?" Sakura asked.

Mebuki laughed lightly.

"The war ended years ago! Are you ok Sakura?"

The girl sank down to the floor as the blond woman left the room.

"Do you want toast or eggs for breakfast?!"

Sakura took the opportunity to dash out the door and headed straight to the park.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Sakura grumbled angrily as she treaded through dirt in her PJs. She had forgotten about her clothes and just rushed to the park. The 4-year old glared at the villagers who would stop and stare at her clothing choice. As she came to the park, she scanned the area until she spotted familiar a spiky-blond haired boy sitting alone on a swing. A few metres away, she spotted Ino Yamanaka and Shikamaru Nara playing a game of Shogi.

The girl shook off her thoughts and rushed over to the boy and sat down on the swing next to him. He slightly jumped as he glanced over to the pinkette next to him.

"Sakura..." He mumbled.

The pinkette looked up at him in surprise as he lowered his gaze to the ground.

"How... How'd you know my name?"

Naruto looked up revealing his deep cerulean eyes. He lifted his hand and lightly gripped some strands.

"Your hair... is it natural?" He asked quietly.

Sakura almost face planted to the ground. She had heard that question so many times, but some how the boy made the question seem so stupid...

"What do you think? I'm only 4 years old..." Sakura replied softly.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki, future hokage! I love ramen!" He said as his voice started getting more confident.

Sakura nodded slowly.

"I'm Sakura Haruno, I want to be a medic ad meet Lady-Tsunade,"

"Who's Tsunade? A granny?" Naruto asked curiously.

"She's only the ho... ah nevermind,"

Sakura shut her mouth and looked over to Naruto, then over to the approaching chakra signals. She recognised the chakra signal to be Ami and her friend's. The pinkette growled slightly on the fact of seeing her purple-haired bully again, but this time, the girl wasn't going for her.

"Oh look! It's the demon-loser and forehead girl!" Ami sneered before pushing Naruto off the swing set.

Her friend stood behind her laughing like a snob. Sakura stood up and growled at the two in an aggressive manner.

"Stay away freak!" Sakura whispered aggressively.

"Oh no! What are you going to do?! Use your giant forehead to crush us? Or shun us with your pink hair?!" Ami cackled.

Sakura's glare deepened as a vein popped on her head. Insulting her forehead was one thing, but her hair was another. If looks could kill, Madara Uchiha and Orochimaru would be dead. The pinkette lifted her fist as if to strike them. The two bullies smirked, thinking that 'forehead girl' would be too afraid. Sakura's fist had almost come in contact with Ami's face when a warm hand grabbed her wrist. She turned to see Naruto shaking his head.

"Let's go Sakura-chan..." The blond mumbled.

"And let them insult you? No way!" The girl hissed.

"It's fine... I'm used to it," Naruto replied.

The two bullies laughed bitterly at him.

"You should be Demon!"

**Oh! No she didn't! Let's get her Sakura! Shannaro!**

Sakura let her inner loose as she focused the little chakra she had into her hands. Her inner then gave an almighty shove to the two girls, Ami and her friend were pushed to the ground and skidded 3 feet away in the muddy ground.

"Wanna say that again?!" Sakura spat with venom in her tone.

The two girls gulped and shook their head furiously. Ami and her friend ran away brawling and crying with their tails between their legs. All the other kids within the park had looked at Sakura in awe as some had stood up and let their possessions drop to the ground. Ino gave her a small smile as she tugged Shikamaru's shirt. The lazy boy glanced over curiously at her as Choji dropped his chips in awe. Naruto gave her a tight hug.

"Why would you do that for me? No one has ever done that..." He asked quietly.

"Because you don't deserve that treatment, Naruto-kun..."

Sakura looked over his shoulder to see a shy girl hiding behind a tree and smiling slightly. Sakura mentally cheered in happiness as she released from the hug and grabbed his hand.

"Let's go to Ichiraku's!"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The Uchiha prodigy stared in surprise as Sakura fixed a glare on him. She placed her arm in front of Naruto's fallen form on the dirt.

"Itachi Uchiha..."She spat.

**I know he was the cause of the massacre but kami is he hot! Cha!**

_Weren't you hooked on Sasuke? Eh? Inner?_

**I didn't say I liked Itachi...**

Sakura mentally realised that the world had probably never heard a 4-year old spit out this much hate but she had a right. The boy in front of her had been the cause for her death.

"How... How did you know my name?" He asked in astonishment.

A look of innocence passed over his face before Sakura lowered her head in shame. This Itachi was different, innocent, kami didn't hate him yet.

"I'm sorry Itachi-san, I thought you were going to hit Naruto-kun," Sakura pointed as the blond began to stir and awaken.

Itachi opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a certain pinkette.

"I know you from the newspaper. The Uchiha clan, you're a prodigy, quite known in Konoha," Sakura lied.

She knew it wasn't the best excuse but it was the only one she could think of. She felt her insecurity fade when Itachi nodded in understanding as he helped the blond boy up.

"Hey... um Itachi-san... Would you? Like to have ramen with us?" Sakura asked quietly.

Naruto was already up and running once he saw Itachi nod. Sakura and Itachi followed the hyperactive blond to the ramen shop. They had laughed and talked all night, with the exception of Itachi who kept his stoic face and nodded towards their discussion. It was almost 9:00pm at night when they had finished dinner. Sakura felt more tired than she would've been in her old body. The pinkette had also found that quite a few muscles had already relaxed and fell asleep, causing numbness to submerge.

"Sakura..." A blonde woman growled.

Sakura turned around to see Mebuki standing furiously. She widened her eyes and bowed in shame.

"I'm so sorry! I forgot all about you oka-san!"

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><p><strong>Please excuse my lateness. I am only available on Sundays to update this story. Youthful Blooming may be put on hold until I finished rewriting some of the chapters in this story. I have read the review on how Itachi introduced himself as a prodigy and I too read back over that and thought 'What the hell?!'. I have changed that and I am happier with this than the old chapter.<strong>

**Ja Ne!**

**-LucidClockwork**


	3. Meeting Sasuke

**LucidClockwork: *slaps Ino on the head***

**Ino: Ow! What was that for?**

**LucidClockwork: Being here**

**Sakura: Haha! Serves you right Ino-Pig!**

**LucidClockwork: *slaps Sakura on the head***

**Sakura: Ow! Why would you slap me? I would never stoop down to Pig's level!**

**Ino: You take that back Forehead! *starts a cat fight with Sakura***

**Sasuke: Can I do the disclaimer?**

**LucidClockwork: Sure**

**Sasuke: LucidClockwork doesn't own Naruto or its characters. The only thing she owns is the plot of the story.**

**Sakura and Ino: Sasuke-kun!**

**Sasuke: Oh kami, not again…**

* * *

><p><em>Italics- Thoughts<em>

**Bold- Inner Sakura**

Normal – Speaking

* * *

><p>"I'm so sorry! I forgot all about you oka-san!"<p>

Sakura whimpered at the sight of her angry mother. She had steam coming out of her ears and looked furiously hot with frustration.

"I was looking all over Konoha for you Sakura!" The blond woman raged.

Mebuki suddenly hugged her daughter. Sakura was fairly surprised at the action but played along.

"I'm sorry Oka-san," Sakura said.

"Don't ever do that again, let's go home," she said softly.

Sakura mentally made a note that she was no longer alone in the world and that she couldn't act independent with her parents in the timeline. Sakura had also forgotten the fact that she was 4 years old rather than 20.

"I'll visit you sometime Itachi-sama, Naruto-kun," Sakura called as she waved goodbye to the boys,"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The next few days Sakura found herself visiting the park and playing Naruto. She hadn't seen Itachi since Ichiraku. Sakura had also kept a safe distance away from Ino; Sakura knew that if she wasn't friends with things would change, perhaps for the better. The pinkette also found that Ino stared at her a lot, when she was caught staring she would turn away to start talking to Choji and Shikamaru.

**Lazy Bastard…**

_Shut up Inner_

"Remember Itachi, Sakura- chan?" Naruto asked.

Sakura nodded.

**How could we not? He's the brother of the hot Sasuke Uchiha! Plus he's hot himself… If we fail at Sasuke, we always have a shot at Itachi!**

_Inner… No just… no. That would be so awkward_

"He always talks about his brother Sasakke right?"

"It's Sasuke Naruto-kun," Sakura corrected him.

"Itachi said he's our age! So how about we become friends with him?"

Sakura raised her eyebrow at him.

"You haven't met him yet… how are you so sure that you won't dislike him?" Sakura asked remembering how Sasuke and Naruto didn't get along.

"He's our age though…" Naruto started.

"OK… Ok… We'll go to the Uchiha mansion," Sakura said.

"YAY!" Naruto yelled as he earned some looks.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Sakura found herself very anxious looking up at the Uchiha mansion standing tall and very alive. Everything about the place reminded her of Sasuke. Everything about Sasuke reminded her of Naruto's death. Naruto's death reminded her of herself trying to save Naruto. Then that lead her to her own death. Sakura still couldn't believe she was given another chance to live, a chance to change _everything._

"Can we… leave Naruto-kun?"

"But we just got here Sakura-chan,"

Sakura looked over to Naruto with pleading eyes. Naruto ignored her gaze and looked to the ground. Sakura placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Please?" She squeaked in her pitchy voice.

"Naruto? Sakura?"

We turned around to see Itachi with a very surprised look on his face.

"What brings you two to the Uchiha mansion?" He asked.

"We were actually going no…" Sakura started.

"no…w to meet your little brother that you always talk about," Naruto cut off.

Sakura gave a glare to Naruto and he replied with a grin.

"You mean Sasuke…"

Sakura felt her heart pounding as they entered the mansion. Photographs of the Uchiha clan were displayed throughout the hallway. Sakura averted her gaze on the photos, every single one had a smiling Sasuke which was too painful to look at. Sakura kept biting her lip and passed through hallway along with Itachi and Naruto.

"Nii-san!"

Sakura felt herself back away as she heard the voice. She breathed rapidly as her eyes burst open to reveal a 4 year old boy with black raven hair that was shaped like the head of a cockatoo. His eyes stared innocently at Sakura as she felt herself fall away at fear. The evil side of him had appeared in her mind, how she was killed by his evil side. For a moment, Sakura lost herself to her fear,she no longer saw the innocent Sasuke but the one who'd killed her. The thoughts ferociously bit away her mind.

**Get a grip of yourself Sakura!**

_Sasuke-kun..._

**He's done nothing wrong! You can change him Sakura!**

"Sakura?" Naruto asked in concern.

"Stay away!" The pinkette yelled at Sasuke who hid behind his brother in fright.

Sakura grabbed a sharpened kunai from a nearby table and pointed at Sasuke. She felt her back hit the wall. Sakura slid down, she hugged her legs and rocked. She kept muttering and pointing the kunai whenever she looked up.

**SAKURA!**

Sakura snapped out of her trance and stared up to see three pairs of eyes looking at her. Itachi looked deeply concerned, Naruto and Sasuke looked frightened well more so Sasuke. Sakura released her grip on her legs and let herself slide the whole way down to the floor in a slouching position.

"Why are you threatening me?" Sasuke asked in fright.

Sasuke hid behind his brother as he bent down and patted Sasuke on the head. Naruto helped Sakura stand up who still looked scared as hell.

"I'm… sorry…" Sakura whispered.

Sakura loved Sasuke more than anything. The pinkette couldn't help but see his killer intent, her confessing her love to Sasuke. How he murderously killed Naruto too.

"That wasn't normal Sakura," Itachi deadpanned.

"You looked really scared of him Sakura, do you know him?" Naruto asked.

Sakura shook her head and glanced up at Sasuke who peeked from behind Itachi.

"Can we start again? Sakura asked.

"We need to know what you were thinking Sakura,"

**Uhh...**

"I uhh thought your brother was a bully that always hurt me when I was younger, they uhh look really similar," Sakura nervously laughed.

Itachi raised his eyebrow but said nothing meanwhile Naruto and Sasuke seemed to buy it completely.

"Sure!" Naruto beamed.

" O…k," Sasuke said nervously.

He backed away a little when she extended my hand for a handshake. Sakura soon realised she was still holding the kunai and dropped it. Sasuke whimpered and took her hand shaking it.

"I'm Sakura Haruno,"

"Sas…uk…e Uch…i….ha," He said nervously.

Sakura could tell Sasuke was still scared of her previously insane actions. The pinkette didn't think much of it because she would probably be scared too.

"Well I'm Naruto Uzumaki!" Naruto grinned as he cut the tension in half.

Sakura smiled at Naruto. He always knew how to get the mood up and running again, even without meaning it. Sasuke simply nodded and turned back to Sakura.

"Are you the two that Itachi had lunch with a few days ago?"

Naruto and Sakura nodded as they suddenly saw jealousy flare in his eyes, but Sasuke calmed down as fast as the jealousy came. Sasuke regained his emotions as he turned to Itachi.

"Nii-san do you think that maybe Naruto, Sak…k…ra and I could go to the forest?" Sasuke stumbled.

Sakura noted that Sasuke stumbled on her name but quickly recovered on the rest of the sentence.

"Only if it is alright with the other two," Itachi replied.

Naruto and Sakura both nodded before Sasuke dragged Naruto who dragged Sakura out the Uchiha mansion.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"You come here everyday?" Naruto asked in fascination.

"No wonder, theres weapons everwhere," Sakura mused.

Sasuke tensed and blinked at her comment but settled when Naruto spoke.

"How about we train with you then Teme?" Naruto said.

"Sure dobe," Sasuke smirked.

The names came as fast as their friendship. Sakura kind of felt left out but she was grateful when Naruto would pull her into the conversation. Sasuke would avoid Sakura as much as possible but after a while started speaking to her more.

" Your... throwing style," He whispered shyly.

"Yeah?"

"That's... Nii-san's ANBU throwing style..." Sasuke mumbled.

Sakura stiffened at his words.

**Shit, think of an excuse quick.**

_I'm thinking..._

**_You better be... Cha!_**

"I watched some ANBU throw weapons so I copied them," Sakura replied quickly.

Sasuke stared at her for a minute before returning to the raging blond and helping him.

Sakura resumed with the weapon throwing and hit dead centre every time.

"There you are Sakura!" Mebuki called.

"Oka-san!" Sakura shouted.

Sakura dropped the weapons and ran up to her mother.

"Itachi said you would be here, why?" Mebuki asked softly.

"I was training with Sasuke and Naruto-kun," I replied.

Sasuke blinked a bit when Sakura didn't add the suffix to his name but he was still scared of her either way. Mebuki's eyes travelled across to Sasuke and Naruto who grinned sheepishly at her. Sakura's mother's eyes narrowed at Naruto and her eyelashes battered at Sasuke.

"These two boys?"

"Oka-san! Naruto isn't a demon! He's my friend so you if you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing!" Sakura growled stubbornly.

"Naruto is an excellent boy Sakura, I don't care what those other adults say!" Mebuki smiled before ruffling his hair.

"Let's go home!" Sakura grinned.

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><p><strong>Ok guys that's it I might be using my ipad next time just because the laptop keeps crashing, I'm gonna be uploading the next chapter tomorrow and by the time you've see this I probably would've written the chapter<strong>

**Bai!**

**-LucidClockwork**


	4. Blades of Haruno

**Sakura: I still don't understand why you're scared of me Sasuke!**

**Sasuke: Hn… This is just some stupid fanfic.**

**LucidClockwork: WHAT DID YOU SAY?!**

**Sasuke: Oh Kami, why? WHY ME?**

**Hinata: Sasuke?**

**Naruto: What is LucidClockwork doing on top of Sasuke?**

**LucidClockwork: KILLING HIM!**

**Sakura: Oh! ay er… Hinata you can do the disclaimer, I think.**

**Hinata: LucidClockwork does not own Naruto or any of its characters. The only thing she owns is the storyline of this fanfiction.**

_Italics-Thoughts_

**Bold-Inner Sakura**

Normal-Speaking

Underlined - Dāku, Guardian of Strength

_**Bold Italics - Hikari, Guardian of Power**_

* * *

><p>"Here you go Sakura-chan!" Naruto beamed.<p>

Sakura unwrapped the gift carefully revealing a round box made of polystyrene.

"Ramen? Thanks Naruto-kun!"

"What did you get Teme?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke was still frightened of her, although he did talk to Sakura (not as much as he does with Naruto), he still stutters when he speaks.

"He…re," He stuttered.

His hand extended out to reveal a ribbon that Ino gave Sakura in her future's past.

"Thank you Sasuke!" Sakura said cheerfully.

Sakura was secretly still scared of Sasuke; she had to change him though. If she succeeded, Sasuke wouldn't be too distant if Sakura failed at saving his clan. Sakura had the past carefully planned out. She would kill the elders and Danzo with poison, preventing the Uchiha massacre. Sakura planned on infusing a kunai with poison she would create with her chakra. The kunai would murder the elders instantly when she wanted it to. The poison would clear once the victim was definitely dead. Sakura would heal the wound she would make with her poison kunai with her medical jutsus and clear out. Sakura would kill the elder one at a time so it would seem natural and the Uchiha clan would probably order the police unit to retire from investigation since she had heard from Itachi that his clan wasn't fond of the elders.

Sakura pushed back her fringe and tied the ribbon up and turned to Sasuke.

"Does it look good on me?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke blushed a bit before nodding hesitantly.

"Hap…py birthday Sa…kura," Sasuke mumbled.

Sakura smiled and gave him an awkward hug that Naruto joined and made less awkward.

"Hey Teme! I've gotten better with my throwing…" Naruto started.

"Is that a challenge? You're on!" Sasuke smirked.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"I still don't get it! Why are you better than me?!" Naruto raged.

"Cause you're a dobe," Sasuke replied while throwing another shuriken.

Sakura giggled as Naruto gave Sasuke a look.

"Come on Sakura! Join us!" Naruto grinned.

"Sure,"

"You know what Naruto… I think I'm gonna rest while you train with Sa…Sakura," Sasuke whispered nervously.

Sakura frowned at him but turned away as he caught her gaze.

"You know what? I'm tired, I think I'm gonna go home with Nii-san," Sasuke rambled as he dashed off in a hurry.

Naruto and Sakura watched the retreating figure stumbling down the hill out the forest. Sakura saw him turn his head and hurry back into Konoha. The blond turned to Sakura and raised his brow.

"I think Sasuke doesn't like you," Naruto concluded.

Sakura rolled her eyes.

"What made you think that?" She mused.

"He stutters a lot when he talks to you and when you said you wanted to join he ran off,"

"I didn't mean that literally,"

"What does literally?"

"Nevermind,"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Goodnight honey," Mebuki smiled as she kissed her daughter's forehead.

"Goodnight," Sakura yawned.

Sakura closed her eyes and waited for the footsteps to fade into the long corridoor of the apartment. The pinkette opened an eye to see if the coast was clear and gently pushed aside the blanket. She stepped out the bed and quietly pushed the window open.

Tonight, Sakura would inject the poison into Danzo and the Elders. She would save the Uchiha clan. Sakura stumbled out the window and onto the side roof of the apartment building. The pinkette tucked away the poisonous kunai into her ninja pouch and hopped stealthily onto the rooves of Konoha. When she got to the Elders' where Danzo was staying she masked her chakra signal. Sakura had almost been drained of chakra by the time she got there. The pinkette reminded herself that her chakra tanks were much lower being inside a 4 year old body. The 4 year old body also held advantages in slipping in without being noticed. Sakura managed to hit all the Elders and Danzo and almost forgot to heal the wounds.

Then the sun came up.

**Shit Sakura out of there quick!**

Sakura body flickered far enough away so the Danzo or anyone would not catch her. Once she got home she was completely drained of chakra. The pinkette fell back onto her bed just as her mother burst into her room with a tear stained face. Sakura weakly turned her head and smiled.

"Oh Sakura! It's horrible!" Mebuki cried.

"Oka-san! What's wrong,"

"Your father! He's *sniff* dead…"

Sakura's head shot up and met the gaze of her mother's bloodshot eyes. The pinkette hadn't even thought about her father since she came to this timeline. Hearing about his death made her feel so _guilty…_ She hadn't given at least a photo of him a second glance.

_No, no, no! Oto-san… He wasn't suppose to die yet! He was suppose to die in the war that would never happen!_

**Sakura… You messed up… Oka-san is dead and you didn't think about him. You could've saved him.**

_I… know… IT'S ALL MY FAULT!_

**I didn't say that. If he died and we couldn't prevent it, it's something Karuma did. Probably his own fault… Sakura don't worry… We can't save everyone and I guess we couldn't save Oto-san…**

_Thanks Inner… Your really good at comforting me at these times._

**Haha! Don't mention it, cha!**

"It's okay!" I comforted.

Mebuki sniffed a few more times and engulfed Sakura in a hug. The pinkette was surprised at first. She snaked her hands around her waist and hugged back.

"I need to tell you something Sakura," Mebuki said.

The blond woman slipped her hand under Sakura's bed and pulled out a brown, old, dusty box. She blew off the dust and rubbed her finger on the gold rectangle.

"This was your father's box…" She said.

She openned it up and pulled out a golden kunai laced with pale pink bandages and a bubblegum lace tied to the ring. She then pulled out a comepletely silver kunai with bubblegum bandages and pale pink lace at the end.

"These are Haruno clan artifacts, they're passed down generation to generation and even change colour to try and get in sync with their new owner or rather their guardian.

_Guardian?_

**The kunai have guardians? Geez, people would understand me being your guardian but… they're kunai for kami sake!**

"This silver kunai enhances strength, in other word taijutsu. The golden one enhances power, ninjutsu but they act as normal kunai unless you get the guardians to acknowledge your existence," She finished.

"You can keep it…"

Mebuki handed the kunai to Sakura who placed them into her ninja pouch. Mebuki raised an eyebrow.

"You just got up honey, why do have a ninja pouch on?" She questioned.

"I uhh, was playing ninja last night! Yes! So I guess I uhh left this on and fell asleep…" Sakura rambled.

Mebuki laughed before leaving her daughter in the dark room. Sakura closely inspected the box only to find another item. _A letter… _It seemed to be slightly burnt with a few coffee stains.

_Dear Me_k__

_I'm w_n_ t_is to you b_u_e I think i_ is w_g that y_are h_ding the a_fac_s away from _ra. I _t you to _ _at Sak_r_ will even_l_ f_ o_t an_ _ _y ang_..._

Sakura turned over the page in confusion. The rest of the letter was burnt off. Sakura decided to keep the letter for closer inspection. Sakura cleaned away the junk and got ready to leave to the Uchiha mansion where Sasuke and Naruto were waiting.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Sakura had decided to kill Danzo while she was dashing to the Uchiha mansion. She sighed in relief as they had thought he died a natural death. As usual Naruto jumped like wild rabbit and Sasuke backed away from her and stick with Naruto. Itachi seemed more relaxed though Sakura never noticed him as tense. Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke walked towards the forest where they chatted like crazy.

"Sasuke, Naruto-kun! I want to show you something," Sakura called.

Sasuke flinched a little but shook it off. I pulled out the kunai and let the boys gasp in awe.

"Wow! Is it made out of real gold?!"

"It looks so sharp!"

"Can I use it when we get to the forest?

"No dobe! I wanna use it!"

"There's two, I bags gold!"

"But I wanted that!"

Sakura laughed at as the two boys bickered over who would use what kunai. She had noticed that once she pulled out the weapons all the tension with Sasuke was cut with a kunai (get it?).

"Guys! I think I wanna use them first!" Sakura called, interupting the rock- paper- scissors match.

Naruto gave her puppy dog eyes as Sasuke's shoulders slung down a little. Naruto released his gaze as we reached the forest. Unfortunately, we were greeted with the person I hated the most.

" Hello children!" Orochimaru hissed.

Sakura's back stiffened as they were met by the pedo- snake king himself.

"Sas… , Na…rut..to, get beh…ind m…e!" The pinkette squeaked.

Sasuke and Naruto responded imediately as they dashed behind her backside. Sakura pulled out the silver kunai unsteadily.

"Naruto… Get Itachi here… now!" Sakura whispered.

"If you dare move anywhere child… you won't see the sun rise tomorrow!" He hissed.

Naruto gulped as his feet were planted to the ground. Sakura took the opportunity to launch herself at Orochimaru.

"RUN NARUTO!" The pinkette screamed as she stabbed the kunai into Orochimaru's arm.

Naruto ran in the direction of the Uchiha mansion. Sasuke whimpered as he stared at the battle that was happening. Sakura didn't know if she could take down Orochimaru. Although she was trained by one of the legendary sannin, Sakura wasn't sure if her 5 year old body could handle all the power and chakra she would usually be able to handle.

Sakura swiped the kunai at the snake as he caught the swipe. Sakura then let go of the kunai and ducked and kicked with her legs. Orochimaru jumped before Sakura took the chance to throw a chakra infused punch his way. He caught it and countered with a powerful jab with his legs. The pinkette flew back at the impact and she felt as her back smashed into a nearby wall.

"Sakura!" Sasuke yelled.

Sakura coughed out blood that slid down her chin and dripped to the ground. Her head and back were heavily injured too with blood almost everywhere on the wall. Orochimaru smirked as he threw the kunai at Sakura. The kunai stabbed her in the stomach. The pinkette's eye's widened as she fell forward onto the concrete ground.

"I like the way you fight… but I didn't come here for you. I came for Sasuke," Orochimaru smirked.

Sakura felt her world spinning as she fell unconcious to the ground. The last thing she heard was Sasuke yelling her name. Funny, even though she was unconcious she smelt the blood that Orochimaru had caused. Sakura knew she was dead. Her 5 year old body wouldn't be able to handle this much damage. Sakura winced as a bright light flashed in the darkness of the unconciousness. The sudden lighting blinded Sakura as she felt herself rubbing her eyes.

"Don't give up yet Sakura,"

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry to leave you guys on a cliffhanger. I know exactly what's gonna happen and I hope you guys will like it. Don't worry I won't kill off the main character. I tried to increase the amout of words on this chapter it's around 2000 words anyways cya!<strong>

**-LucidClockwork**


	5. Comatose and Finding Letters

**LucidClockwork does not own Naruto or any of its characters, only the plot of this story and the characters ****Dāku and Hikari.**

**WARNING! This Chappie is angsty! You have been warned!**

_Italics- Thoughts_

**Bold- Inner Sakura**

Normal- Speaking

Undelined- Dāku

_**Bold Italics- Hikari**_

* * *

><p><span>Don't give up yet Sakura<span>

After those words Sakura felt her eyes snap open and pulled out the kunai in her chest. She gasped in pain before launching herself yet again at Orochimaru. Sasuke watched in horror as blood dripped from her mouth, backside and head. Sakura simply didn't care; all she wanted was Orochi-bastard to pay for his deeds in her old life.

Sakura slashed with the silver kunai. Orochimaru blocked every slash but she didn't care, Sakura didn't noticed the tip of the kunai glow silver until it slashed through his block. The pinkette gasped in surprise as blood started flowing through his wound.

"Sasuke may be safe this time but I'll get you back," He hissed as he retreated away from Konoha.

Sakura felt her world spin as she turned to Sasuke.

"I'm alright," She said weakly before faling unconcious.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan! Please wake up!"

Sakura's eyes shot open as she was met with Naruto's tearstained face. He hugged the pinkette tightly. Sakura's eyes trailed over the gifts that were left on the table nearby.

"Naruto- kun?" She asked.

"We thought you wuld die! The nurse said that your heart failed about 13 times and that if you didn't wake up soon then we would have to kill you. Sasuke began crying and Itachi comforted him. That snake guy got away but Sasuke is alright," He rambled.

"How… How long was I unconcious?"

"5 months," He answered.

"My… mother?" Sakura asked.

Naruto was quiet. He looked down to the ground and averted his gaze. Sakura started imagining the posibilities of what might have happened to her mother.

**She's alright Sakura, calm down.**

_What if she died? What if she's really sick? What if she has a crazy disease that doesn't have a cure?_

**Chillax, I'm sure she's fine.**

"After she heard about what happened to you…" He stopped and stared at Sakura who gave him a frightening look.

"She moved away, Sakura. Away to an island no one has heard about. She stopped believing that you would make,"

Sakura felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. She didn't cry, the pinkette didn't cry either. She just stared across the room in a blank stare.

"I need to be alone Naruto-kun," She said.

Naruto stared at her in guilt as he exited the room and turned off the lights. Sakura looked to the bedside table beside her that held her ninja pouch in its draw. Sakura pulled out the pouch and took out the letter. She felt wet tears fall down to the burnt letter as she looked out the window.

_I don't get it… why? This didn't happen before…_

**The fact that you are here must have altered time and space… I guess a few things have changed…**

Sakura wiped away the tears. She wasn't gonna cry. She gripped the letter tightly; the pinkette wouldn't forget why she came to the timeline. She came for Sasuke so that was what she was going to achieve. Her own happiness didn't matter; Sasuke's happiness was all that mattered. Sakura pulled the blanket over herself as she felt herself fall to the dream world.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

_Where am I? _Sakura wondered.

She felt herself walking over to a secluded area in her dream world. She turned around to see black creature. She found the creature to be very blurry and fuzzy.

My name is Dāku! It screamed.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Sakura shot up and gasped. She turned to the window and saw the moonlight illuminated her hospital room. Sakura took the time to kill an elder, she only had one left. Tomorrow, she was going to be released from the hospital. Sakura wondered where she would go. Now that her mother had abandoned her, Sakura would be placed somewhere else. Sakura could only hope that it was in a part of Konoha where she was familiar with.

Sakura hopped out her bed and headed to the table that contained all her gifts. She knew the first one was ramen and that it was from Naruto so she skipped over the gift. Sasuke had given her chocolates and candy. The pinkette smiled at the fragance that the chocolate released. She found other things such as flowers from the hokage, and a few pendants from the nurses here. She had also found the box of things that held her Haruno artifacts. Sakura read the label attached to the box, her mother placed it here probably a few months ago. She opened up the box and found a few more thing s that intrested her.

She shuffled through the items in the box including her décor from her room, clothes, toys, posters, and ninja weapons. Sakura froze at the last item in the box. _Half of a letter…_ Sakura immediately grabbed the first half of the letter and placed them together.

_Dear Me_ki_

_I'm w_ng t_is to you be_u_ I think i_ is w_g that you are h_ding the a_fac_s away from _ra. I _t you to _ _at Sak_r_a will even_l_ f_ o_t an_ _ _y ang_..._

Sakura grabbed the second half and looked at it. It wasn't burnt like the first one, just crinkled.

_about this. Stop your actions immediately or otherwise I will kill him. Sakura will have to face the facts and you will have to be careful. I am coming in a few days. If you don't stop, I will be taking her friend, and if she fights back I will take her too. If I don't see her using her tools she will pay with blood. Good luck…._

_S.S.O_

Sakura stopped at the end of the letter. She still couldn't understand half the letter but figured it was a death threat. The pinkette looked up at the name on the burnt half. _Me_k_... _Sakura scrunched up her nose at the name, it looked familiar but she couldn't place it.

Sakura stuffed the note into her ninja pouch as someone entered. The nurse wrote onto her clipboard before turning to Sakura and raising her eyebrow.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked.

Sakura gave her a cheeky grin before turning away to face the window. The nurse shook her head before reading out to Sakura.

"You are now being released from the hospital, we'll send over the items in here to your home," She said.

"But I, Can't stay in my family apartment, I'm an orphan now!" Sakura replied unsteadily.

The nurse looked up at Sakura then back down at the clipboard.

"We are sending your items to your new home. We have already discussed with the hokage where you will be staying. If you have any questions please talk to the hokage," She said.

Sakura hopped out the bed and grabbed her ninja pouch. The nurse left as she began to get changed. She could only hope… she could only hope.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Sakura looked upon the rundown dump she was given as an apartment.

**This just keeps getting better and better! Cha!**

"Hey Sakura-chan!"

Sakura turned around and faced Naruto and Sasuke. She raised her eyebrow at them.

"What are you guys doing here?" She asked.

"Dobe lives next door," Sasuke replied.

**Woah! Sasuke Uchiha just replied and didn't stutter! Cha!**

"Yeah, why are you here?" Naruto asked.

She held up the rusty key and bagan walking to the inside her apartment. The boys followed in simultaneously. The kids where shocked at the sight of her apartment.

The roof had a massive hole where water leaked through and made a flood. There seemed to be one bed with the toilet next to it. The kitchen only consisted of a fridge, oven, counter, cooker and a table. Naruto and Sasuke stared at the girl next to them. She had to stay here.

Sasuke felt very guilty. He had caused this for her. He didn't help her defeat Orochimaru and let her go into a coma for 5 months. Her mother left her and her father had died from a mission. That caused her to be an orphan like Naruto and made her live in a rundown apartment that wasn't hygenic at all.

"Guess there's a water source," Sakura chuckled as she walked past the leak and to her bed.

"This bed has springs," She frowned.

Sakura ended up sitting on the floor and found that the most comfortable.

"Sakura-chan are you sure you're going to be alright?" Sasuke asked.

She nodded.

"We're going to the academy tomorrow, this apartment is the least of my concerns,"

Naruto and Sasuke only stared at each other as the pinkette layed down on the floor and began to stare blankly at the ceiling. The apartment was the least of her worries. What was her biggest worry?

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry I had to rush this chapter. My computer crashed and I forgot to save so I had to quickly make another chapter. Sorry about the inconvienence, I'll make the next chapter longer.<strong>

**-LucidClockwork**


	6. Chakra control with Sukai-sama

**Ino: I heard LucidClockwork worked on this chapter three times…**

**Shikamaru: I could care less… too troublesome**

**Choji: I need more chips…**

**Ino: GEEZ! At least reply!**

**LucidClockwork: (sleepily) Ino? Is that you? Do the disclaimer…**

**Ino: Why me? Let the lazy bastard do it!**

**LucidClockwork: too troublesome…**

**Ino: Fine! LucidClockwork doesn't own Naruto or any of its characters. The only thing she owns is the storyline and the characters Hikari, ****Dāku and Sukai.**

* * *

><p><em>Italics- Thoughts<em>

Normal- Speaking

_**Bold Italics- Hikari**_

Underlined- Dāku

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter will be Sasuke centric because of the lack of ideas I had for Sakura. I hope you guys can understand, I wrote this chapter 2 times Sakura centric but I ended up deleting. The last two attempts had me skipping years of writing. I promise that this chapter being non- Sakura centric was a last resort for me.<strong>

**-LucidClockwork**

* * *

><p>Sasuke noticed the days of Sakura being absent in the academy. The Uchiha had found himself more comfortable around Sakura's presence than the other girls in the academy. Unlike the other girls, Sakura didn't throw herself onto him and ask him to marry them. Sasuke had been suspicious of Sakura the first time they met. Her actions towards him screamed bloody murder.<p>

After the day the snake guy tried to capture the Uchiha, Sasuke had been more concerned than scared. Sakura had saved him from a possible death and was placed in a 5 month coma. After then did Sasuke realize that Sakura only had good intentions. The boy dropped all his shyness around Sakura and started acting like a friend.

"Do you think she's okay? I mean her parents are gone…" Sasuke whispered.

"I know what it feels like, and Sakura didn't act the way I acted when I lost my parents," Naruto replied in a hushed tone.

"I couldn't imagine my parents being dead," Sasuke said as he shook his head.

Sasuke packed up all his notes and headed out with Naruto. The blond was going back to his apartment. Sasuke remembered that Sakura lived next door and decided to visit her. As they headed up the stairs, they heard strange noises.

Sasuke and Naruto dashed up the stairs and knocked rapidly on Sakura's door.

"She's not answering," Naruto whispered.

Sasuke imediately kicked the door open and saw two dragon-like creatures in her room. Their image was reflected off the kunai Sakura had.

"What if I'm not ready Hikari?" Sakura asked in a shaking voice.

_**No doubt will there be enemies along the way… **_The bright dragon replied.

I advise you keep this from your friends, the letter; us and the your past… The darker coloured dragon said.

Sasuke and Naruto watched as the images of the dragons disappear into the kunai. Sakura sweeped up the kunai and the 2 pieces of paper before she cocked her head in their direction. Sasuke and Naruto stepped away from the doorframe and met her gaze.

"How much did you hear?" She asked softly.

"From the part you ased if you weren't ready," Sasuke replied with a guilty look.

Sakura's expressioned softened slightly as she glanced at the two kunai in her hand. Sakura looked up at the two boys before she she spoke.

"Why are you guys here? It's still 3 am in the morning,"

Sasuke and Naruto nearly gaped.

"We visited you because you were away for a few days at the ninja academy,"

Sakura widened her eyes. She glanced over to the clock she had placed next to her bed, on the other side of the toilet.

"I MISSED A WEEK OF THE ACADEMY?!" She screamed.

Sakura looked like she was about to go insane but Sasuke held her shoulder before the pinkette glanced over to him.

"It was just about kunai training, things you have already mastered," Sasuke said calmly.

"Speaking of kunai training, I think she should go train!" Naruto grinned.

Her lips tugged into a smile.

"Great!"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

He found things to be quite awkward around Sakura. Naruto had left a short while ago, and that had left things between Sakura and Sasuke quiet. Sasuke looked up to Sakura who wore the ribbon he gave her. A smile tugged onto his lips as a faint blush appeared on his expression.

Sakura was different. The pinkette seemed wise and strong beyond her years. Sasuke thought she was perhaps a prodigy but that didn't seem likely the more he thought about it. He also couldn't forget how scared she was the first time they met. She seeemed to almost be… _afraid…_

"So… Sasuke-kun," She spoke.

Sasuke snapped his head towards her to see a Sakura smiling.

"We're in the ninja academy now," She smiled.

Sasuke nodded in response.

"Can you promise me something?" She asked in a hushed whisper.

"O…k," He replied as he raised his eyebrow.

Her face lifted up a bit. Sasuke could see the dark circles around her eyes and how her usual bright, green eyes were dull. The Uchiha knew she was serious at least.

"Promise me; promise me you'll never leave the village. You won't leave for Orochi… I mean snake guy," She stumbled.

_That was a strangely specific… I wonder if something like that happened to her. That darker dragon she was talking to did metion something about her past._

Her expression hardened into something he couldn't explain, fear, anger, fright and sadness all mixed together. Sasuke could only wonder what she meant. Then he saw something flash in her eye. It screamed death.

The only thing he didn't think of dying was the last elder alive. No one would know that Sakura Haruno, a 5 year old is responsible for the death of 4 people or the savior of the Uchiha clan. No one would know and no one would be grateful…

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Here," Sasuke said.

He handed the two the Konoha newspaper. Naruto snatched it and read the headline.

"Death and Life of the Konoha Elders," He read.

Sakura snatched it away from Naruto and gave him a playful glare. She stuck her toungue out as she flipped open a page.

"As the deaths of the Konoha Elders have saddened us all, we only wish we could know their last words. The hokage has selected new elders including famous clan heads such as Inoichi Yamanaka, Hiashi Hyuga and Fugaku Uchiha," She read.

"Hey Teme! That's your old man!" Naruto excaimed.

Sasuke lit a smile as Ino Yamanaka walked. Sakura turned to the blond who walked passed the group nonchalantly. Sasuke was slightly surprised that the blond didn't jump on him like most girls but dismissed it. Sakura on the other hand was almost distressed. The pinkette kept looking up the blond until she leaned back.

"What's wrong Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked.

"It's nothing," She said as she shook it off.

Sasuke looked between the two; he wondered what Sakura was thinking. He honestly liked Yamanaka more than the girls who jumped on him. Sakura seemed like she was preparing for the blond kunoichi to start fangirling. When that didn't happen, questions seemed to arise in her mind.

"Good morning class!" Iruka beamed.

The class chorused back as Iruka started to hand out shurikens to everyone. Everyone headed outside as they were greeted by a girl around Itachi's age.

The girl had long brown hair tied up in a pony tail and bangs that didn't hide her blue eyes. The girl was wearing a Leaf headband and a jounin vest. Sasuke was surprised, he asumed that the girl was a prodigy like Itachi.

"Hello everyone! My name is Sukai and I am a prodigy of the Ishida clan. I'm here to raise and help you with your chakra control," Sukai grinned.

The first exercise was to control chakra into a part of their body. Sakura seemed to understand straight away as her chakra was released out her hand like she had done so with the snake guy. Sukai was impressed as she dismissed the pinkette from the group and placed her in an independent exercise.

Ino was the second to master chakra control. Sasuke noticed that even though Ino's chakra control wasn't as advanced as Sakura's, the blond had chakra control above her own age.

Sasuke soon began to get fustrated with exercise. He had gone to Sukai a few times but the prodigy was always busy with hopeless students. The Uchiha then went up to Sakura who was hanging upside down a tree with her chakra.

"Umm Sakura-chan, how did you do it?" He asked.

Sakura opened her eyes before climbing down the tree and in front of Sasuke.

"You know how to do a jutsu right?" She asked.

Sasuke nodded at her.

"Well, chakra control is like that. You have to focus the right amount of chakra into the jutsu to get the strongest result. In chakra control, you focus the right amount of chakra into a body part. Then you can focus to release of keep pumping more chakra into the body part," she explained.

Sasuke was mildly surprised at her detailed explanation and thanked her. The Uchiha kissed her on the cheek before heading back to join his own group. The raven- haired boy didn't notice the colour of her face. Sakura smiled with a blush before heading back up the tree to continue her training.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Sasuke watched as the students left the training grounds one by one. In the end, he had gotton the concept of chakra control thanks to Sakura. He waited for Itachi to pick him up.

"Sasuke? The students left a little while ago," Sukai said softly.

"I'm waiting for my brother," Sasuke replied.

Sasuke heard the snapping of a twig as Itachi appeared a few metres away. The Uchiha prodigy walked over to them and glanced over to the girl.

"Oh! Onii-san! This is Sukai-sama, she taught us how to do chakra control and Sukai-sama this is Itachi-onii-san!" Sasuke explained.

"Well, hello. You seem to be a bit young to be a jounin," Itachi greeted.

"And you seem to be young for an ANBU. I am a prodigy of the Ishida," She smirked.

"I'm prodigy of the Uchiha clan; it is a pleasure meeting you,"

The two 11 year olds shook hands as a faint blush appeared on both cheeks. Sasuke eyed them wearily as he grabbed Itachi's other hand and pulled him away from the girl. Sukai waved at Itachi before returning to clean up.

Sasuke pulled Itachi around the corner and glanced up at him.

"Do you like Sukai-sama?" He asked bluntly.

"What kind of question is that?" Itachi asked his younger brother.

Sasuke walked away from him and to the Uchiha compound.

"You can't hide anything Onii-san!" He yelled before rushing in.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm sorry for not updating in a little while. I had a few outings and I failed this chapter 2 times. I'm not sure whether Itachi should be with Sukai. If no one tells me wha they prefer, I will continue with Itachi x OC.<strong>

**-LucidClockwork**


	7. Training with the Guardians

**LucidClockwork: OMG, I started my first day at school and I was so busy! I couldn't write any fanfics! I'm so sorry!**

**Neji: Why are you talking to me?**

**LucidClockwork: … I was talking to the readers.**

**Neji: Then why am I here?**

**LucidClockwork: I dunno? Go away to where you belong Hyuga!**

**Lee: You are here to promote our new story Youthful Blooming!**

**Neji: Why am I doing it? It's centred on you.**

**Tenten: Lee can't do it; he supposed to be with Gai…**

**Lee: Oh no! I will not become any more youthful being late!**

**LucidClockwork: Can someone just do the disclaimer?**

**Tenten: Right… I'll…**

**Lee: LucidClockwork doesn't own Naruto or any it's characters, it youthful to say that she owns a few characters such as Sakai, Hikari and ****Dāku.**

**Tenten: What? I was supposed to be…**

**LucidClockwork: Let's start!**

_Italics- Thoughts_

**Bold- Inner Sakura**

Normal- Speaking

_**Bold Italics- Hikari**_

Underlined- Dāku

* * *

><p>Sakura had seen the whole thing in the tree, Sukai-sensei and Itachi-sama blushing at each other. The girl giggled with excitement at the scene, only for it to end by Sasuke pulling his brother away. The pink-haired kunoichi frowned in response.<p>

"I wonder what happened to make Sasuke-kun pull him away like that," Sakura wondered out loud.

"Yeah me too," Replied a voice.

Sakura jumped in surprise before she felt herself fall from the height and closed her eyes as she waited for the pain to come. The pinkette lifted her right eyelid to see a boy around 14 years old grab her hand. Sakura went red with embarrassment as she balanced herself back onto the tree. The girl turned to the boy only to realise he was from the Uchiha clan.

"Geez girl be careful, trees can be really dangerous," He joked.

"Thanks a lot, I appreciate that," Sakura replied sarcastically

"I'm Uchiha Shisui by the way," He grinned.

Sakura noticed how the Uchiha reminded her of Naruto. Upbeat, happy, shows emotions, everything the Sasuke in her time wasn't. The pinkette mentally shuddered at the thought.

"My name is Sakura Haruno, and what are you doing up here?"

"I could ask the same, Sakura-chan,"

Sakura's right eye twitched in annoyance as Shisui raised his brow. The pinkette calmed down after comparing the boy's personality with Naruto-kun's.

"I came here to spy on Sasuke-kun," She replied calmly.

Shisui jumped in excitement as he grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled her in until his mouth was close to her ear.

"I'm doing the same with Sukai-chan!" He grinned.

"Why?"

Shisui pulled back and looked into her orbs. Inner Sakura giggled mentally about how serious the boy had just become.

"You're kidding right?" He asked seriously before his mood changed back into a cheerful grin.

"Sukai-chan is the heir of the Ishida clan! The Ishida clan are an ancient clan thought to be erased from existence thousands of years ago! The Ishida clan have a kekkai genkai that is said to be the most wonderful gift! Sukai-chan can control chakra flows from hundreds of metres away! She can also stop the effects of other kekkai genkai! That is so cool isn't it? It's called Ketsugan. I was given a mission by the hokage to spy on her and keep her safe from any harm!" Shisui rambled cheerfully.

Sakura widened her eyes at the explanation.

**What a lucky little bitch! She gets a kekkai genkai and she's part of a strong ancient clan! To top it off she's a prodigy! Cha!**

_Wow, Sukai-sama is really strong, she can probably block off chakra flows to stop ninjutsu or genjutsu from affecting her. She would probably be able to stop the Sharingan. She is an opponent to look out for…_

"Wait! Harm? You didn't say why anyone would harm her… And plus, you're an ANBU. Why would an ANBU be given a low ranked mission like this?" Sakura asked curiously.

Shisui's expression darkened as storm clouds gathered. The boy lost all traces of happiness in his face. He didn't smile, nor did frown. The ANBU just stared blankly at the ground.

"The Ketsugan is considered a gift from the heavens, but if a member of the clan is killed, the Ketsugan's power gets transplanted into the killer. The kekkai genkai then becomes a gift from hell," He said darkly.

"What happens?

"Ketsugan is used for good in the Ishida clan, if it is used for bad, Ketsugan can have more affects such as stopping blood flow, someone's heartbeat or even stopping someone's mind or brain," Shisui said.

Sakura gulped and looked up to the Uchiha. Shisui's cheerfulness then submerged again. The Uchiha grinned at her before looking out back to the training grounds.

"Crap, Sukai's gone! Bye Sakura-chan!" Shisui said before he walked off the tree.

Shisui then realised he was in a tree before falling down. Sakura winced as she looked down to the ground where Shisui and a pile of leaves lay. The ANBU gave her thumbs up before his head popped out. He grinned cheekily as he body flickered away.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Are you sure? I need to find her quickly, hokage-sama will be so mad!"

Sakura stuck her head around the corner of the building. The pinkette spotted Shisui with a familiar bun-haired girl. Shisui looked around desperately before he turned into her direction. The brunette just tilted her head and shrugged her shoulders.

"Shisui-san!" Sakura called.

Shisui turned away from the brunette and grinned at Sakura.

"Hi Sakura-chan, meet Tenten! Anyways I have to go find Sukai-chan!" Shisui yelled out as he took off.

Sakura raised her eyebrow at the retreating figure in the distance.

"Hi! Are you Sakura?" Tenten asked politely.

"Shisui-san told me about your training with Sukai-sensei," Tenten whispered quietly.

"Yeah…"

"I mean if it isn't a bother, can you train with me? Neji-kun is busy with Hinata-chan,"

Sakura took her hand once again and raced off to the training grounds.

"Wait! Aren't your parents going to be worried? It's 6:00…" She trailed off.

Sakura slowed down to a stop a stared at the ground. Even though she was 16, the girl cursed her 4 year old body as tears began to spill from her eyes. Tenten noticed this and gave the younger girl a soft hug. The pinkette felt her arms fling around the bun-haired girl as she began brawling over her oka-san and otou-san.

"What happened?" She asked softly.

"Tou-san (sniff), died from a (sniff) mission, Kaa-san (sniff) abandoned me," Sakura cried.

The pink haired kunoichi felt all the feelings she kept bottled up spill. It felt relaxing that someone she trusted comforted her.

"It's okay, my otou-san past away when I was really young. I know how it feels," Tenten whispered softly.

Sakura felt weapons fall out her ninja pouch and widened her eyes as she let go of Tenten to pick up the relics.

"Wow! Are those kunai?" Tenten screamed in delight.

The pink-haired kunoichi smiled at her friend's enthusiasm before standing up and holding them up to her. The girl took the weapons and stroked the blade.

"I think I've seen this somewhere… Oh that's right! It was on the front of the newspaper for ninja info," Tenten said before handing her a newspaper from her backpack.

Sakura widened her eyes in surprised.

"If anyone of these weapons is found, please give them to the weapon hunter Tanzan Niijima. You will be rewarded 15 000 Ryo!? If any ninja is using these weapons, kill them… IMMEDIATELY!?" Sakura exclaimed.

Tenten shrugged casually before turning over the paper.

"This edition of Ninja Wanted will be the last edition ever due to the lack of readers," Tenten read.

Sakura felt herself loosen a little bit before she turned to Tenten.

"Let's get training, shall we?"

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

**Come on Sakura! You can do it! Cha!**

_Quiet I need to concentrate…_

The pinkette found herself in what looked like a dream world. She was approached by two beings. One of the dragons had slick black scales with dark, ghostly wings. Its eyes were brigh_t _and pale, it seemed to illuminate the dragon's sight at night. The other had shiny, bright scales that would of easily been mistaken as light itself. It had dark onyx that glowed brighter and duller every second. The dragon had huge fairy like wings that blinded Sakura's sight.

_**Why have you come here? **_The bright one asked

_I need your power, I need your trust…_

Power… Pathetic! Power comes from the heart, if you wish to seek power do not come here! We are simply dragons with your needs. You humans are pathetic enough to think that unimaginable power comes from us The darker one mused.

_I… No! I'm not pathetic… I come from the future to change your past! I won't let Sasuke-kun leave the village for Orochimaru! I was weak then, I want to change that. I already power, but not enough for me to stop the future…_

The light dragon stared at Sakura in astonishment. She had never met a girl with this much will, let alone a 4 year old. She had to admit that her partner was rough and tough, but he did have a soft side. She on the other hand, was understanding, resilient, faithful to trust.

_**Sakura Haruno… you don't care what happens to you, but you care about others more… why?**_

Can't you see Hikari? All she wants is power! She won't get it from us! She has that Inner Sakura, why does she need us?

_Because she is me, all her power… is my power. I need to stop the future… and if you try to get in my way… I'll take the power by force! I need to stop the future… to save my friends…_

The two dragons were silent, the stared in awe at the little girl who had a heart as big as the two put together.

_**Very well, **__**Dāku and I have decided to grant you our power. Do not abuse it, we control the power. The more you use the sword, the more in sync we will get. We will not hesitate to take the power back, you will die if you abuse it understand?**_

Sakura nodded as she felt herself open her eyes to reveal Tenten looking down at her.

"It worked Sakura-chan! Look!" Tenten exclaimed.

She took the kunai from her hands as she watched her name being engraved on the kunai along with Dāku and Hikari's name.

Summon my power by calling Shadou Hanto and focusing chakra into your engraved name…

_**You can summon my power by calling Raito Kari and doing the same thing…**_

The young girl felt the voices echo throughout her mind.

"Ok! Now that you have the Kunai Guardian's full trust, lets train… in close combat!" Tenten grinned.

Sakura felt her hand go limp before dropping the tools down to ground.

"Close? Combat?" Sakura whispered hoarsely.

* * *

><p><strong>Hi guys! Itachi and Sukai pairing voting will be opened until the chapter 'Bridge to the Mainland'. I know that Sasuke, Naruto and Itachi didn't appear in this chapter, and I am truly sorry about that. I did want to introduce Shisui in a funny way but never found a way to do that. I also had the idea of Tenten training Sakura with the kunai since the Chapter 'Blades of Haruno'. Anyways I hope you like this chapter! Bai!<strong>

**Oh! I forgot! The story Youthful Blooming is now up. It talks about Team Gai and is Lee Centric. The couple is NejiTen so yeah… Bai!**

**-LucidClockwork**


	8. Maybe This Is The Start

**Lee: These battle scenes are not youthful at all! My cherry blossom is not this weak!**

**LucidClockwork: Shut up! I'm not good at battle scenes!**

**Neji: Sure looks like it…**

**LucidClockwork: Say that again… (vein pops) I dare you…**

**Tenten: Eek!**

**Sakura: Since when do these guys get included into **_**Our Story?!**_

**Ino: Since your large forehead existed! Duh!**

**Lee: Do not insult my cherry blossom! It is not youthful! **

**LucidClockwork: Ugh! This conversation only exists to do the disclaimer so DO IT!**

**Tenten: LucidClockwork doesn't own Naruto or any of its characters. The only thing she owns is the storyline and the characters Hikari, Sukai and ****Dāku.**

* * *

><p><strong>Hikari- Light<strong>

**Dāku – Dark**

**Sukai – Sky**

* * *

><p><em>Italics- Thoughts<em>

**Bold- Inner Sakura**

Normal- Speaking

_**Bold Italics- Hikari**_

Underlined- Dāku

* * *

><p>The 5 year old girl stared blankly at the dripping ceiling. Bags had formed under her eyes as she yawned occasionally before snapping her attention back at the leak.<p>

_I really need to get that fixed._

_**I cannot believe Konoha has stooped this low to give a child this kind of apartment!**_ Hikari screamed in her mind.

Usually I love the darkness, but you need sleep desperately… Dāku mused.

**SHUT UP! I'M TRYING TO GET SOME SLEEP! CHA!**

_**Geez your Inner has some attitude! **_The light dragon laughed lightly.

**Do not!**

_**Do so!**_

**Do not!**

_**Do so!**_

Sakura clasped her hands over her ears to try and block up the argument in her head. The pinkette rolled over to her side and looked out the tiny window next to her bed. The moonlight shone into the window, illuminating the young kunoichi's face. A vein popped on Sakura's head as her inner and Hikari were still bickering.

_BE QUIET!_ Sakura roared in her mind.

The argument stopped over the fear of what the girl could do. The pinkette also had a clear view of Dāku mentally rolling his eyes. The girl hopped out of her bed and got changed. She looked over to the clock which was half broken.

_3:20 something…_

**Geez! The last number has lost battery power! Cha!**

The pinkette struggled out the tiny window onto a side roof. Sakura focused chakra into the soles of her ninja sandals and took off towards the forest where Sasuke introduced her to. She hid herself into the trees when she saw shadowed figures in the clearing. The girl then masked her chakra.

"Sasuke will be very curious, along with his friends," The female voice said.

Sakura figured the voice was Sukai. The pinkette looked around the clearing for Shisui before resigning and refocusing into the conversation. The pinkette recognised Sasuke's chakra signal a few trees across. It didn't seem that the figures had noticed the chakra but was too engrossed in their conversation.

"Have you noticed anything about her? Sasuke did tell me that she was higher than average," The other voice said.

**OMG! It's ITACHI UCHIHA! I'M GOING TO FAINT! CHA!**

Just let the girl think this through, calm down, Dāku smirked.

_Who are they talking about? I wonder if it's Ino…_

"Don't underestimate my students, Uchiha…" Sukai replied.

"Well it's a good thing I underestimated her! Her enemies in the future will, they won't recognise her skills… Just her pink hair," Itachi mused.

Sakura froze in the tree she was in. A tiny gasp escaping her lips, the pinkette clasped her hand over her mouth, the two 11-year olds payed no avail. Sasuke's chakra signal spiked a few times at the mention of the pink hair. The kunoichi only wondered what he was thinking.

"But now that I am thinking… Sakura does remind me of Lady Tsunade. Her chakra technique is almost identical," Sukai wondered out loud.

"That's impossible, Tsunade hasn't come here in 7 years! She couldn't have been taught by her…"

Sasuke's chakra signal calmed down a bit, although she felt her own chakra spike up a bit.

"This is either purely just a coincidence or…" Sukai trailed off.

"Or what?"

"Or the girl is hiding something… Perhaps that she is actually older than it seems?"

At that moment, Sakura began to panic. Thoughts filled her mind, her chakra signal flared up and broke through the masking. Sakura, well she fell out the tree, she fainted.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Sakura felt her eyes fluttered open as she appeared in the dream dimension. Hikari and Dāku stood in front of her curiously.

_**Thank goodness you fainted! That shut up your inner immediately! **_Hikari commented which earned a few snickers from Dāku.

_What happened?_

It seems that you panicked becaude you were afraid of Itachi and Sukai finding out about you, Dāku said.

_I just… I don't want to mess up time and space_

The two dragons looked at each other and nodded as they glanced back down to the small, petite girl.

_**If it'll help you, there is a rule that you can tell one person you trust the most the rules…**_

Sakura snapped her head up in an alarming manner. The two dragons began to grow fainter and fainter.

_What… What's happening!?_

You are waking up, Dāku answered simply.

Sakura felt light begin to seep into her dream world. Two figures appeared in her sight but for her, it was too blurry to recognise them.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Sakura-chan?" One of them asked.

Sakura focused her eyes and took in her surroundings. Soon, her eye sight was regained as Naruto and Sasuke stood at the foot of her bed. Sasuke looked extremely worried and tense while Naruto looked relieved.

"What happened?" Sakura asked groggily.

The pinkette noticed the sun arising in the sky as she noted a few hours must have passed.

"You were spying on Sukai-sensei and Nii-san. When they said something about you being older than you actually are, you fainted," Sasuke concluded.

"I know that!" Sakura snapped.

The Uchiha flinched a bit before backing away from the bed. The pinkette immediately felt guilty and apologized. The boy nodded in forgiveness before she turned her attention to Naruto.

"You were out for a few hours, and you missed the ninja academy again," Naruto replied.

Sakura put her hands in her head as she sulked, cursing her 5 year old body for betraying her.

"I'm going to go get some ramen for you Sakura-chan, you want any Teme?" Naruto asked.

"Sure, dobe. I'll come," He smirked.

"Sasuke-kun…"

The onyx-eyed boy turned to her as she put on her puppy dog eyes.

"Can you stay with me?" Sakura asked cutely, her inner praised the body in delight for being so cute.

Sasuke blushed beet red as he turned away to face Naruto.

"Looks like I have to stay,"

"No fair! I don't have a girlfriend yet!" Naruto pouted.

Sasuke and Sakura went different shades of red, Sasuke being the one who almost fainted from too many colours. Naruto wiggled his eyebrows knowingly as Sasuke punched him in the head. Naruto winced and hopped away from the embarrassed Uchiha.

"Just go get the ramen!" Sasuke barked.

Naruto didn't waste any time rushing out the door to buy some ramen from Ichiraku (take away). Sakura took a few moments to realize she was alone with Sasuke, she blushed slightly and cursed her body, again.

_Should I tell him? Inner?_

**Mmph! Mmo Phnot phet!**

_**How did you get that ramen?**_ Hikari asked curiously.

**This is Outer's mind! I can do whatever I want in here!**

Sakura then mentally face palmed at Hikari who began fill her head with bright rainbows of colour. She moaned at the immense pain of headaches the rainbows gave her. Sasuke noted this and lay her head down on the springy bed, he blushed when he felt her pink hair in his hand.

"Are you ok?" Sasuke asked in concern.

"Yeah, just a minor headache," Sakura said before she yelped in pain.

The 6-year old boy pulled up her sheets and he kissed her on the cheek as he sat down on the chair beside her. If this happened in her timeline, the pinkette could officially die happy. The girl felt herself drifting off into dreamland as Sasuke smiled a sincere smile at her. The memories came back on her goal in this timeline. She would save Konoha, she would save Sasuke Uchiha.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry this chapter is short! I am a little busy with school and everything. This is just a filler chapter and part of character development. I now that Sasuke is OOC but really? This is cannon hedgehogs! Ja Ne!<strong>

**-LucidClockwork**


	9. 500 laps of Konoha

**LucidClockwork: Let's see… I've done that… Geography was pretty easy, Why's my brother's History homework here?**

**Sakura: I'm kind of sad… It's been a week since LucidClockwork wrote us a story…**

**Naruto: Why did Bushy Brow's story get updated first?**

**Lee: LucidClockwork obviously respects my YOUTH!**

**Tenten: Hey Lee, did you get the record?**

**Lee: (cries) I ran out of YOUTH!**

**Gai: My youthful student! We will get the record another day!**

**Lee: GAI-SENSEIIII!**

**Gai: LEEEEEEEEEEE!**

**LucidClockwork: SHUT UP! I'm trying to do my homework! Just do the disclaimer and get outta here!**

**Gai: LucidClockwork doesn't own Naruto or any of its characters. The only thing she owns is the storyline and the characters Hikari, Sukai and Dāku**

**LucidClockwork: Wait… Why the hell are Gai and Lee doing in here?**

**Gai: Run for it my YOUTHFUL STUDENT!**

* * *

><p><em>Italics- Thoughts<em>

**Bold- Inner Sakura**

Normal- Speaking

_**Bold Italics- Hikari**_

Underlined- Dāku

* * *

><p>Sakura found herself silently groaning as noises and hums echoed throughout her home. It took her moment to realise she now lived alone in her apartment. The pinkette shot her head straight up and ended up banging her forehead on her bedframe. The girl rubbed her head and moaned in pain.<p>

"Eek! Oh! Sakura, you're awake!" A voice said.

Sakura slowly opened up her eyes to see a familiar brunette looking down on her.

"Sukai-sensei?" Sakura asked groggily.

"That's right! Hokage-sama assigned me to be caretaker!"

"I don't need a caretaker!" Sakura said proudly before she tumbled out of bed and face planted directly under the leak.

Sukai raised her eyebrow as Sakura lifted her head weakly and glared at her. Only to get drips of water pouring down her face. Sukai giggled lightly.

"You were saying Sakura-chan?" Sukai teased.

Sakura moaned as dropped her face into the ground again.

"Well come on! Let's get you to the academy!" Sukai said cheerfully.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"You're not taking those kunai right?" Sukai asked seriously.

Sakura held the silver kunai and the gold kunai in her hand. She looked up at the 12-year old and gave an innocent look to her. Sukai only frowned and quickly grabbed the kunai out her hand and placed them on the dresser.

"No! Those are Haruno clan artifacts! They are much too precious," Sukai said.

Sakura pouted as Sukai pushed her out the door towards the academy. Sukai locked the door as they began walking. The first few minutes were spent in silence before Sakura's eyes sparkled. She glanced over to the brunette next her slyly.

"So… Sukai-sensei… I had heard that Itachi and you have a thing going on…" Sakura smirked.

The girl went beet-red as she pushed Sakura into the doors of the academy.

"Looks like we're here! Well I have to teach my class, Ja Ne Sakura!" Sukai shouted nervously gaining some heads popping out of the classrooms throughout the hall.

Sukai flushed in embarrassment and hurried off to the exterior of the academy, Sakura smirked deviously as brunette popped out of the building.

"Oi! Sakura-chan!"

Sakura turned around to see the blond grinning at her.

"I met this girl, she's called Hinata! She's really nice but Iruka-sensei took her away when she fainted," Naruto said as he scratched his head.

The pinkette stared blankly at him.

_Wow, Hinata-chan had a crush on Naruto since we came to the academy?!_

**Baka! Hinata said she liked him for a long time! Shannaro!**

_**Umm… Who's Hinata-chan? Dāku? **_

Don't ask me! I know as much as you do Hikari-san

_**Since when did you call me Hikari-san?**_

Since when did you ask so many questions?

**Geez! Shut Up! Cha!**

"Hey where's Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked curiously.

"He said he had to get revenge and left… I don't know what for," Naruto replied.

Sakura's heart dropped at those words. She had tried everything she could to stop the Uchiha massacre and it had somehow come back to bite her. The girl put her hands on her head and sighed a long, heartbroken sigh. The pinkette heard Naruto snap his fingers as she lifted her head to face the blond.

"That's it! Sasuke-Teme said that he wanted to get revenge on Itachi because he had made a bigger fireball than him! Yeah, that's it Dattebayo!"

Sakura angrily hit him on the head in relief.

"You baka! You had me worried about him!" Sakura yelled.

"Why?!" He asked as he rubbed his head and moaned.

Sakura stopped suddenly as she couldn't find a reason. The blond curiously peeped up at her just as Iruka turned the corner to spot them.

"Sakura, Naruto! You're late for class!"

Sakura mentally sighed along with Dāku, Hikari and her Inner before putting on an apologetic face.

"Sorry Iruka-sensei," They mumbled.

The man smiled as he bobbed down to their eye level and patted the two on the heads.

"Well go on now! Get to class!"

Sakura let out a small smile before grabbing Naruto's hand and rushing down the hallway to their classroom.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The two 5-year olds hurried into their classrooms and took an available seat next to Sasuke who was trying to shoo away his fan girls. He gave a small smile as the girls fighting over the seats stopped and gave a glare at her. The Uchiha's expression almost immediately dropped after seeing Sakura's hand in Naruto's. He frowned and gave an angry-jealous look at Naruto.

"What do you think you're doing? Dobe…" Sasuke growled.

The blond looked a little taken back by him and raised an eyebrow.

"Whoa, Teme! Sakura-chan and I just…"

A loud voice boomed into the room, effectively cutting off Naruto and caused the fangirls to immediately scramble to the seats. Sakura widened her eyes when a familiar green beast burst into the classroom, flashing his nice guy pose. Some children moaned and groaned in disinterest. Others gaped at his jumpsuit, while the girls… they looked like they were going the colour of the jounin's jumpsuit.

"I'm Might Gai! Iruka isn't feeling very youthful in teaching this class today so I'll be taking over. If you want to speak with him he'll be in the class next door. First… 500 laps around Konoha! If you don't make it back by the end of class… 1000 laps!" Gai shouted in glee.

Some 5-year olds had already rushed out of the classroom and started running. The fangirls started fainting one by one. The two boys beside the pinkette went pale. Sakura just sighed, she knew that Gai was kidding and that he was only making them do 250 laps. Although judging by the size of her muscles, the girl knew she wouldn't do any better than the kids who'd fainted and started late. The girl just got out her seat and started jogging at a suitable pace.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It was 1:00pm now; Sakura had only done 172 laps when she collapsed with exhaustion. She was lucky that Sasuke had kept her pace the whole time and witnessed her falling to the ground. The pinkette wasn't sure where Naruto was but she had passed him a few times and saw him talking with the Hyuga heiress.

The Uchiha looked at her in worry and laid her up against a nearby tree. Sakura groaned in pain as a large but shallow cut opened in her leg. Sasuke looked around franticly for a nearby jounin, or anyone for that matter but there was no one. No one would be in these woods. The pinkette shakily tried to sit up but the older boy just pushed her back down.

"You're hurt Sakura-chan,"

Sakura wanted to retort to lighten the mood but she felt a spike of pain before she gasped. Sasuke immediately shot up and took a look at the wound.

"Stay here, I'm going to go get some water," It wasn't a soft, it was an order.

Sakura hadn't seen Sasuke this serious since she got hurt when fighting Gaara. The boy quickly ran away to fetch some water. That's when her head started pounding, or rather _someone _was pounding.

_What are you doing? Inner! You're hurting my brain!_

**Pfft! That isn't me! That's those two weirdos who showed up the other day!**

Sakura closed her eyes forcefully, when the pain had increased. Then, it was gone… The girl opened up her eyes to see something unbelievable. She was in her 20 year old body. As she looked down at her hands, the images around her changed. It was a like an enchanted forest, a mix of light and darkness lit up the area. The pinkette looked around the clearing, expecting to see someone. Perhaps… Naruto?!

Sakura rubbed her eyes a few times until she realised the figure was in fact Naruto. The pinkette blinked before a grown up version of the boy stood in front of her. He gave her grin and a thumbs up, Sakura felt tears blurring her vision before she tackled him into a hug.

"Naruto-kun…" Sakura cried.

**(Haha, sorry guys this is a bit for NaruSaku lovers. This is in fact a SasuSaku fic so this won't be happening often.)**

The girl buried her face into his shoulder and let tears stain his jacket. Strong arms returned the gesture as they held the position for a moment.

"Sasuke-Teme… Good job Sakura-chan, I… I really think you can change our fate. You've already saved Teme…" Naruto whispered into her hair.

Sakura pulled away but didn't release her arms from his waist, she was afraid. The pinkette was afraid that if she let go… She wouldn't see this Naruto for a long time. Sakura lifted her head to stare into his deep cerulean eyes. The girl missed not having to arch her head to look up at him, Naruto was much shorter when he was younger.

"But what if I fail? What if I can't save Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked quietly.

Naruto grabbed her shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes.

"I know your feelings for Teme Sakura-chan; if anyone can do it… it's you,"

Sakura grabbed him into a hug; the boy began to go transparent. Sakura pulled away in shock as the blond looked down at his hands and chuckled.

"Hikari-san and Dāku-sama… I can't thank them enough for giving me this time with you. I hope… I hope you make a better future for all of us," Naruto chuckled.

**(End of NaruSaku part)**

Along with him, the image of the forest around faded back into the scenery of the woods. In each of hands were the kunai. Sakura looked down in surprise she was sure she left this in her room. The girl quickly stuffed the kunai into her ninja pouch as a chakra signal approached.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura whispered.

The boy had rushed back with a makeshift bowl made of bark, twigs, sticks and tree roots. The wood was surprisingly clean and held the water with no leaks or drips. Sasuke held the bowl in his hand and bent down to look at her injured leg. He lightly poured water on the wound as Sakura winced as the water cleaned out the cut. The boy then wiped the excess water with his sleeve and then proceeded to unwrap the ninja bandages around his leg. The Uchiha looked up at her face in concern. Sakura gave him a nod as he began to wrap the bandage around her wound. Although it wasn't up to medic standards, it would do.

"Sakura-chan, can you stand?" Sasuke asked.

The girl tried to get up but fell due to the pain in her leg. She inwardly cursed at herself for being so weak. Sasuke turned around and put his hands behind his back as if he was carrying something.

"Hop on… We need to get back to the academy,"

The girl felt her cheeks heat up, she was glad that Sasuke had turned around, she looked like a tomato. The pinkette jumped onto his back and hugged his neck.

She didn't notice the way he was smiling the whole way back to the academy.

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter is longer than the others. I do know that I haven't updated due to me rewriting the first two chapters. I'm not sure whether I should rewrite the third chapter so I'll leave that for you guys to decide. Next chapter, I will start to add some more NaruHina in.<strong>

**Ja Ne!**

**-LucidClockwork**


	10. Friendship stays Forever

**LucidClockwork: OMG! It's already like the 10****th**** chapter and I haven't even made them genin yet.**

**Sakura: I agree, it's getting too long on the 4-year old crap**

**Naruto: Come on! When's the part when I kick ass?!**

**LucidClockwork: I'm going to add that in Naruto, just be patient…**

**Sasuke: Get on with it… We've already waited a month… Slug.**

**LucidClockwork: Lol… Wait… YOU'RE SO MEAN! Wait… lol**

**Sakura: … Wow, mood swings much?**

**Naruto: Who are you kidding? You have the most…**

**Sakura: I'M GOING TO KILL YOU NARUTO!**

**Sasuke: LucidClockwork doesn't own Naruto or any of its characters. The only thing she owns is the plot of this story and the characters Dāku, Hikari and Sukai.**

_Italics- Thoughts_

**Bold- Inner Sakura**

Normal- Speaking

_**Bold Italics- Hikari**_

Underlined- Dāku

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><p><strong>!MUST READ!<strong>

**This chapter will have minor SasuSaku; this will be mostly Naruto's point of view and maybe a P.O.V change halfway through the story. The purpose of this chapter is to explain things that I wouldn't have been able to incorporate into a chapter. I originally had an idea to make this chapter the part when everyone becomes genin but I felt like I would've skipped too much. Be warned there will be a time skip within the chapter, anyways enjoy this chapter!**

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><p><strong>OoOoO-Naruto's P.O.V-OoOoO<strong>

Naruto was quiet for half the time. He was worried for Sasuke and Sakura, for the past few days, the two had been getting very friendly with each other much to the dismay to Teme's fangirls. The blond wasn't jealous; he had the same kind of bond with Hinata. Although he was 8, he wasn't stupid. He noticed how distant Sasuke was to everyone, and how Sakura was hiding something for them. He felt the only person he could talk to at this time was Hinata.

The blond looked out the window and out to the plains outside of the academy. He had found Sakura extremely suspicious with her two kunai and the fact that Sakura was able to fight off the snake guy when she was just 6 surfaced upon his suspicions. There was no doubt Sakura was stronger and wiser than she looked.

Sasuke was a completely different story; everytime Naruto would try to talk to his friend, the boy avoided him. The blond felt the loneliness he felt before he met Sakura. Sasuke's attitude had a total change. The raven-haired boy wouldn't help him with his ninja skills anymore. He had become a completely different person. Someone he had never met.

Iruka let out the class when the bell rang. Sasuke and Sakura had already left; Naruto spotted the Hyuga slowly making her way out of the classroom.

"Oi Hinata-chan!" Naruto yelled.

Hinata turned to the voice, her face was red like a cherry. She stopped in her tracks and fiddled with her fingers, turning her gaze to the ground.

"O-Oh! N-Naruto-k-kun…!" Hinata stuttered.

Naruto was about to say something when a man, supposably Hinata's father, peeped his head from the door frame. His whole body came into sight as he looked disapprovingly at Naruto. The blond shuffled his feet uneasily as he placed his hands behind his back.

"Otou-s-san!" Hinata gasped.

The man's gaze was fixed on Naruto's small form.

"Stay away from my daughter. I don't need my daughter of the Hyuga clan to be around a fox like you!" He spat, ignoring Hinata's quiet protests.

The man grabbed Hinata's tiny hand and led her out of the small classroom, not before glaring at him. Naruto shook his head, he had to be strong. Sakura had kept trying to teach him to stand up for himself. He wouldn't let a simple man lower his spirits.

Naruto fixed a smile on his face as he followed Sasuke's already fading figure to the Uchiha clan.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Naruto had been following Sasuke for ages. He let out a silent growl in frustration after he turned the fifth corner for the 7th time. He peeped his head around the corner to see he had lost him. Naruto moaned as he stomped the ground.

"Why were you following me?" A voice asked quietly.

Naruto spun around quickly to meet the one and only Uchiha ass. The boy raised his eyebrow and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Why were you avoiding Sakura-chan and I?" Naruto shot back.

Sasuke smirked. He pushed Naruto against one of the building walls, pinning him to brick. Naruto was almost too frightened to do anything, although he didn't let his fear show on his face.

"Because you two aren't worth it," He simply said.

Naruto growled and kicked him. The weak kick made Sasuke smirk as he just caught it, only to be punched in the face while he was off guard. Soon he was the one that was pinned to the wall.

"What do you mean Sasuke-Teme?" Naruto asked dangerously.

"You will slow me down, Itachi is my goal. Otou-san only think that he is strong, I'll prove him wrong. You and Sakura will only slow me down, you're weak, an idiot. Sakura… she… she distracts me,"

With that Sasuke pulled out of the blonde's grip. He turned and started walking away.

"From now on, you're my rival. You are not my friend, tell that to Sakura too," He waved him off and left, disappearing through the crowd in the streets. Everything was silent, except for the bustling in the village streets. Naruto would've cursed if he hadn't lost one of his first friends.

Off in the distance, a young girl was standing alone with adults making their way around her. Her pink hair tickled her shoulders as the wind whistled through. Her emerald eyes were wide with shock as the blond walked away from the scene with his head down and tears streaming down his face while many villagers pointed at him in disgust. She didn't defend him, as wet liquid dribbled down her face as well. She laughed bitterly, and dropped the two kunai she held. She didn't bother picking it up as her fist clenched.

"So Sasuke-kun really didn't change, after everything I had to do," She threw her head back as she laughed.

"All the more reason to kill Orochimaru then," She added darkly.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Two 8 year olds were sitting down in the fields. Things were silent, nice breeze, quiet tweeting of birds. The only thing that was missing was a certain Uchiha.

"I can't believe Sasuke-Teme actually left us," Naruto mumbled.

"Especially since he became rivals with us today," Sakura added bitterly.

"Do you remember the day when we became friends?" The blond asked.

"Of course, I would never forget it for the world,"

"Do you remember how you met Sasuke-Teme?"

Sakura let a small smile slip onto her face and giggled quietly.

"I threatened him with a kunai,"

"Memories like those, is something we will never forget. Even Teme, as much as he tries to end our friendship, it'll be there forever,"

Sakura was touched by his words. She grabbed his hands and held them close to her heart. Emeralds orbs met cerulean, she briefly saw a tint of affection but dismissed it.

"You're right; Sasuke-kun is our friend forever. He'll never be able to change that," She smiled.

They embraced each other; Naruto could see her two kunai peeking out of her ninja pouch. They faintly glowed at the colour of their lace. The tip shined brightly, the blond understood what the two beings within the ninja weapons meant.

Sakura had explained to him the power of the kunai, how she was trained by Tenten and how she could communicate with two called Hikari and Dāku. In a way, Naruto felt he knew the two guardians very familiarly although he had never had any direct words towards them.

Sakura released the embrace and flashed a small smile. She stood up and brushed herself off.

"I've got to go, Sukai-san will probably be worried about me," She turned and began to take steps away from him. She lifted a hand to wave him off. Naruto had also lifted himself off, missing the red strip of ribbon falling from Sakura's pocket.

**OoOoOoOoOoO – Sasuke's P.O.V (Briefly) – OoOoOoOoOoO**

He laughed, of course he had. His two 'friends' believed their friendship still existed. The two were too naïve, believing something as useless as hope. Sasuke hopped off the tree, thanking kami that Sakura hadn't sensed his chakra. He landed softly onto the grass of the training fields. He heard a _crump _below his feet.

The Uchiha raised his eyebrow and lifted his foot. He saw the red ribbon, in a fine condition, if not, just faded over the years. Sasuke bobbed down and looked upon the ribbon. He felt a pang in his chest as he lightly gripped it. He had given the ribbon to Sakura when she turned 5. He shook the light pain off and started to walk away. The raven-haired boy soon reconsidered the thought as he turned back and grabbed the ribbon off the damp grass. Sasuke stuffed the ribbon into his ninja pouch and turned away, hoping somehow, the blush on his cheeks would go away.

**OoOoOoOoOoO – Sakura's P.O.V (Till the end of the chapter) - OoOoOoOoOoO**

She quietly shut the door and stared into the darkness of her apartment. She leaned back onto her doorframe, quietly listening to the echo of dripping water. She let a small sentence escape her lips.

"I'm so sorry Naruto-kun… so sorry… I don't like to lie,"

No one in the apartment greeted her; she lied about Sukai being here. Sukai only appeared at her apartment on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Sakura lied about being okay; Sasuke now had a reason to leave Konoha for power. Orochimaru would win, the pinkette couldn't possibly fight off the snake sannin, she might have trained under Tsunade, another sannin but heck, even surpassed her. Nothing… Nothing could help her win against a traitor, one who made her crush into… _another traitor_...

She hugged her knees tightly as gazed out the small window across her room.

"I wish…" She stuttered.

"I wish I had the power to change fate, but I can't I'm too weak,"

A small ting answered her wish. Her two kunai glowed faintly, slowly granting her wish to change fate. Fate would be changed, because Sakura Haruno would be getting stronger and stronger, hopefully strong enough in 5 years…

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><p><strong>I can't believe I haven't written a chapter in a month, I am truly sorry. I had camp for a week, that delayed my progress in the story and I also had writer's block until an idea came to me that Sasuke would drift away from Sakura and Naruto. Along with Sakura's problems, I have finally planned out the end of this story. Anyways Ja Ne!<strong>

**-LucidClockwork**


	11. Wild Orochimaru Appeared!

**Hey guys! I'm a little late on this chapter so I'll get straight to it.**

**Disclaimer- I don't own Naruto or any of its characters. The only thing I own is the storyline of this fanfic and some characters such as Sukai, Hikari, Dāku, etc…**

**(!MUST READ!)  
>This chapter is a MAJOR time skip. Nothing will change but I did not expect Sakura, Naruto and Sasuke to become genin this late. I expected them to graduate to at maybe the 5<strong>**th**** or 6****th**** chapter? I honestly didn't plan for Orochimaru to come, or Sakura's mother to leave or Sakura's father to die but that is all for side stories and character development. I was planning this to be approximately 20 chapters but I will allow it to be longer if you want me to complete the side stories in this fanfic as well. I will need at least 5 PMs or reviews telling me I should do it. If not, I will make a sequel for the side stories.**

**Anyways, voting on whether Itachi x OC should exist is officially closed. I will make Itachi single but have a close relationship with Sukai. In this chapter, Sukai and Itachi are 19-years old while the Rookie 9 is 12-years old. Team Gai will be 13-years old. I know I said that voting will end on the chapter 'Bridge to the Mainland' but I feel like the voting has carried on for too long.**

**ANYWAYS! Enough of my rambling let's get to it! YOSH!**

_Italics- Thinking_

**Bold- Inner Sakura**

Normal- Speaking

_**Bold Italics- Hikari**_

Underlined- Dāku

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><p>Sakura giggled as she tied her blue hitai-ate. The pinkette made sure to brush out the ends of her waist long hair. She couldn't say she loved her long hair but she had missed it. Sakura shook her head and looked at herself through the mirror.<p>

**Shannaro! We look hot and sexy!**

_**I have to say, it does look quite beautiful but is it actually adequate for the ninja lifestyle?**_

_I__agree but I think I'll keep this hairstyle until the chunin exams. I want to have the pleasure of slicing off my hair…_

Good thinking kiddo!

The pinkette looked to a nearby wardrobe; she opened the closet to find her kimonos. Sakura looked to each dress in disgust as she flipped through. When she had found the right dress she smiled. It didn't have the annoying sleeves of the dress she had worn when she first graduated and the ends of the kimono were shorter, just above her knees. The waist area was laced with elastics, making it easier to move and function than her other kimonos. The top half acted like a tank top.  
><strong>(So this is basically what Sakura was wearing in the chunin exams. I absolutely hated the sleeves of her normal kimono; this'll be the kimono she wears all the time.)<strong>

Sakura dressed herself and looked to her bed; she grabbed her ninja pouch and shuffled through. The pinkette frowned when she saw two pieces of crumpled paper in her pouch. She quickly stuffed the paper under her bed sheets as Sukai walked in.

"Good Morning Sakura!" She smiled.

Sakura nodded and grabbed the toast off the plate. The pinkette waved goodbye to Sukai and she jumped out a wall sized window that had been installed under Sukai's money. Sakura quickly made the hand signs to focus her chakra into the soles of her ninja sandals. She then started to jump from roof to roof, stuffing her mouth with the toast at the same time.

She came to a stop on the Yamanaka flower shop roof. The pinkette peered down from the roof. She saw the pale blond hair of her former (future, friend in another life, etc…) friend. Sakura felt swirling emotions bubble in the base of her stomach, guilt, relief and fear. She watched as Ino walked slowly towards the academy, occasionally looking back at some other girls that had graduated behind her. As Ino turned her head, the girls immediately stopped gossiping and glared back at the blond. Sakura felt bubble into her swirl of emotions. _Anger… _

She resisted in jumping down from the roof of the apartments to punch the girls into Suna. Sakura settled for clenching her fists so that 4 crescent shaped marks in each of her palms. The pinkette looked over towards the academy, there was no doubt she was nervous. Today was the day when she would start to make things right. She had already prevented the Uchiha massacre although it had changed some things that were supposed to stay. Sakura shook her head, she was being selfish. She had already had parents in another life; it would mean the world if someone else had what she had.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

Walking into the academy, Sakura could already see things had changed. Naruto had come earlier this time, he sat a row under the one he had sat in her old life. Hinata and Kiba were seated beside him. Black ravenous hair caught her eye, Sakura mentally scowled at the Uchiha. The pinkette searched the room for a seat, growling under her breath when she realised the only available seat was next to seat next to Sasuke.

**Wait! Wait! Look fangirl taking the seat! Shannaro!**

Sasuke gave the girl 'the ultra Uchiha glare' before she gulped and cowered away to her original seat. Sakura sighed and took the seat next to him. Sasuke glared at her, the pinkette rolled her eyes. The Uchiha narrowed his glare at her, Sakura heard herself scowl.

_**NO ONE GLARES AT YOU SAKURA! I'LL GIVE THAT BASTARD A PIECE OF MY MIND!**_

Whoa, I can't tell whether that was the random voice in your head or Hikari.

**HEY THAT'S INSULTING! CHA!**

"Deal with it Chicken Ass! This is the only seat available butthole!" Sakura snapped loudly.

The whole class went silent for half a second before a huge uproar ensured with a mix between Naruto's laughs, other 12-year old boys snickering and angry protests of Sasuke's fangirls. Sakura's eye twitched for a bit.

**Hey, isn't this the part when Sasuke and Naruto kiss?**

Sakura snapped out of her trance when saw Naruto's seat empty. She quickly snapped her head to Sasuke, Naruto had already begun falling forward. Sakura couldn't control herself; she jumped onto the table and pushed Naruto off the table. The pinkette found herself falling forward along with the blond. She flailed around and grabbed the closest thing to her, which of course, was ironically Sasuke's collar.

The three 12-year olds fell forward into the row below them, almost crushing Hinata. Kiba however had luckily pulled Hinata out of the way of the fall. The three then found themselves in an awkward position. Naruto had landed on his back, with his belly facing the ceiling. Sakura landed on top of him, she found herself pinning him to the ground while the bottom part of her body sat on his stomach. Sasuke found his arms around Sakura's waist and he sat in between Naruto's legs, while his own were open. _Almost wrapping around Sakura's body…_

All three of them jumped up and blushed furiously. Sasuke however looked away; the tips of his ears were red like a tomato. The three were saved from embarrassment when Iruka walked in. Outraged fangirls immediately sat down from the sight of their teacher.

"What you three doing there?" Iruka asked.

Shades of red were added to their faces. Sakura looked down in shame, Naruto just stared straight at Iruka, all the colour from his face drained. Sasuke pushed the two aside and headed back up to his seat.

"Well no matter, let's get started. Today is the day when you graduate and-"

The pinkette payed no heed to Iruka. She had taken the seat next to Hinata while Naruto had taken the seat next to Sasuke. Sakura stared out the window; she spotted black hair and snake like skin. She widened her eyes, Sakura felt her chakra wavering which didn't go unnoticed by Iruka.

"Are you ok Sakura? I sense fear within your chakra signature,"

"I'm… I'm fine," Sakura breathed.

She narrowed her eyes at the disappearing figure. He had definitely masked his chakra signal, all that was left was one of a jounin's. There was no wonder Orochimaru hadn't been spotted among the village, in her old life she had encountered Orochimaru plenty of times. Sakura had only seen a square inch of the figure but she knew it was Orochimaru but something was different. His chakra didn't resent any hate, anger or evil. Rather it felt more like-

"Team 7!" Iruka called.

Sakura jumped up at the sound of Iruka's voice. The pinkette glanced over to Sasuke, his face remained as passive ever.

"Sakura Haruno, Naruto Uzumaki-"The same thing happened. Naruto cheered, but this time Naruto had thrown himself at her before she could do anything.

"And Sasuke Uchiha," Naruto released himself from Sakura and shot Sasuke a glare. Although Sakura knew he would be on the team, she was stilled pissed at the Uchiha. She banged her fist onto the desk, startling both Naruto and Sasuke when a fist-sized dent appeared on the table. No one spoke at the fear of being pummelled by the pinkette. Naruto hadn't even complained this time. Iruka widened his eyes a tiny bit before continuing to assign the teams.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down Sakura, you'll get yourself into the line of suspicion…

The rosette let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Sakura blinked a few times before realising everyone had already left. The pinkette slowly rose up, her eye twitched as she felt a familiar chakra fading.

_That's right Orochimaru! I have to stop him!_

She had to stop the signal from fading, Sakura dashed out the window, ignoring the loud shattering sound it emitted. She leaped from branch to branch, all she knew was that if she stopped Orochimaru, she stopped Sasuke. Little did she know, Orochimaru was already stopped.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

It bothered Sakura that Orochimaru didn't seem to care that he was acting out of character, helping kids when they tripped, hugging children when they cried, things that the snake bastard just didn't do. Sakura had been following him for the last 15 minutes, she hid around the corner when Orochimaru turned into an alleyway.

"Hello Sakura-chan," A voice whispered.

Sakura snapped her head at the voicing, jumping back a few steps.

"Orochimaru," Sakura snarled.

A few feet away, stood the one man she despised the most. Sakura held her breath and reached for her golden kunai. Then, blindly, she charged at the one man she hated.

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><p><strong>OH! CLIFFHANGER! Hehe sorry for that, I felt like doing that.<strong> **I know I'm being mean, more reviews means I won't be as mean hehe. Next chapter will be up on Sunday or later, anyways Ja Ne!**

**-LucidClockwork**


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